


Kärlekssång

by missdibley



Series: East Of The Sun, West Of The Moon [9]
Category: British Actor RPF, Tom Hiddleston - Fandom, Wallander (UK TV), Wallander - All Media Types
Genre: Baby, Eurovision, F/M, Family, Fluff, Newborn, fika
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-16
Updated: 2016-05-16
Packaged: 2018-06-08 21:52:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,203
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6875041
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/missdibley/pseuds/missdibley
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It’s two months after baby Magnolia’s arrival, and so her happy but tired parents Magnus and Halla decide to throw a party to introduce her properly to friends and family.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Kärlekssång

**Author's Note:**

> This comes after Midsommar, which I know I have yet to finish, but this little scene spoke to me. Blame it on Eurovision!

The Saturday after Magnolia Bettina Martinsson turned two months old, her parents Magnus and Halla hosted a small party at their small home in the small Swedish town of Ystad where they lived. This gathering was the first _fika_ they had hosted since the birth of their child. Just a quiet celebration for the ecstatic (if exhausted) new parents and their sweet baby.

There was a simple buffet of meatballs, smoked salmon, potato salad, and blanched asparagus from their favorite restaurant in town. Coffee and cinnamon buns (baked by Magnus’s mother) for the adults, and punch and _prinsesstårta_ (contributed by a neighbor who absolutely doted on Maggy) for the children.

The little one spent most of the party sitting in her grandfather’s lap, cooing and smiling sweetly at every strange and wonderful face he made at her. Anders had grown out his beard and moustache to capture Maggy’s interest and attention, just like Magnus had in the months leading to her birth.

Despite the excitement of the party, it had been easy to get Maggy to sleep once everyone had gone. Magnus settled Halla in front of the television with a cup of tea while he loaded the dishwasher and put away the leftover salmon and potato salad. By the time he joined her on the couch, Halla was watching the last of the Eurovision finalists perform.

“Good party, _käraste_.” He murmured, resting his head on her shoulder.

“It was, wasn’t it?” Halla mused, sipping her tea. “It was nice that Kurt came. Ann-Britt, too.” She brushed a lock of curly hair from his brow. “Are you looking forward to going back next month?”

Magnus nodded. “I am, but I’m going to miss being here with you and Maggy everyday.”

“You’re not stir-crazy? Being cooped up here with your baby mama and our little chicken?”

“Well, when you put it that way…” Magnus smirked.

“Ass!” Halla bopped him with a pillow. “Your mother only asked me once if we were getting married. Instead of her usual three times.”

Magnus sighed. “That sounds like an improvement.”

“I’ll put a sticker on her progress chart, then.”

“Duly noted.” Magnus turned his attention back to the television.

“And it’s not like we’re not getting married.” Halla shrugged. “I mean, sure, we aren’t officially engaged, but it’s not like we aren’t going to get around to it. Eventually.”

“Right,” said Magnus.

“I mean, it all started so fast, you know?” Halla mused. “I haven’t even been here a year, and we’ve already got a two month old baby. A wedding would have made it harder to prepare, right? Focus on her.”

“Right.”

“And she’s here now. She’s healthy and, if those giggles your dad got out of her were any indication, she’s happy.” Halla smiled at him. “What more do we need?”

“Right.” Magnus agreed. She was right, Halla was. They had discussed getting married late last summer, in something of a panic admittedly, after Halla learned she was pregnant. But she didn’t want an engagement and the pressure she feared it might put on her to marry before Maggy was born. The baby’s impending arrival was enough to think about.

“I think…” Halla tilted her head back to follow the progress of a gold balloon as it bounced along the ceiling. The windows were open just a crack, admitting a cool sea breeze.

Before Magnus could ask Halla what she was thinking, the balloon popped. As it fell to the floor in a miserable puddle of latex, a wail came from the nursery. Halla set her cup down, and he shook his head and got to his feet.

“I’ll get her.”

Halla smiled at his back, watching him cross the one big room of their little cottage to get Maggy. She sat up, tugging down the neck of her dress and unfastening her bra so she could nurse. When Magnus returned, he set the baby in her mother’s arms and waited for her to latch on.

But Maggy was fussy, and settling her at her mother’s breast didn’t seem to soothe her. She continued to whine and cry, while Halla tried different things to console her. Snuggling, cooing, stroking her soft head and little back. The usual things did not work their usual magic.

“Let me try,” murmured Magnus from where he sat beside them. He lay Maggy back on his long legs, but leaned in close to nuzzle her cheeks. He hummed, tunelessly at first but then found a melody and the words to sing:

 _People tell me it’s a sin_  
_To know and feel too much within_  
_I still believe she was my twin, but I lost the ring_  
_She was born in spring, but I was born too late_  
_Blame it on a simple twist of fate_

Halla had never felt so undone by love. She could only sit and watch Magnus as he sang their child. This was neither the first time he sang to Maggy, nor would it be the last. It was just perfect. There was nowhere else Halla wanted to be except where she was. She tried to weep quietly, but her sniffles gave her away.

 _“Käraste?”_ His brow furrowed in concern. “Are you alright, love?”

“Yeah,” said Halla with a small laugh. “Of course.”

“Was it my singing?”

“No!” Halla wiped the last of her tears from her eyes. “Well, yes. But…” She shook her head. “Not in the way you think.”

They peeked at Maggy, who had fallen asleep. She made little snuffling sounds as Magnus carefully lifted her off his lap and brought her to rest on his shoulder.

“Hey Magnus.” Halla bit her lip when he caught her eye.

“Yes?”

Halla slipped an arm around his shoulders. “What’s your middle name again?”

“Harald,” replied Magnus with a grimace. He glanced at his daughter’s face. “Why do you ask?”

“Magnus.” Halla cleared her throat, then took his hand in hers. “Magnus Harald Martinsson.”

And then Magnus got it. He knew. When he understood what was about to happen, he stuttered. “No. No no no.”

Halla sat back, a forlorn smile on her face. “No?”

Magnus shook his head. “No! Wait, yes! I mean…” He smiled through his tears. “This is for me to do. My question.”

“It is, isn’t it?” Halla relented. She brushed her thumb over his wet cheeks. “Okay.”

“I mean…” Magnus looked at Maggy. “You did all the hard work. You moved here. You gave birth. Let me do this.”

“Of course.” Halla kissed him. “I love you, Magnus.”

“I love you, Halla.” He kissed her back. Sitting up, he took her hand and brought it to rest on Maggy’s back before covering it with his own.

“Ready?” Halla whispered. When Magnus nodded, she took a deep breath and looked into his eyes. “Alright.”

“Marry me, Halla.” His eyes still shone, this time with fresh tears that coursed down the planes of his face.

She kissed him, first on the cheek where his tears fell, and then on his lips. Her reply was barely a word, but still enough to constitute the answer that he had been longing to hear.

“Yes.” She kissed the top of Maggy’s head, then his mouth again. “Yes.”

**Author's Note:**

> My headcanon for Magnus has Jeff Tweedy's version of "Simple Twist of Fate" being his favorite. Listen to it here: <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FRuU_IkGUyo>.


End file.
